The education ministry decided Tuesday to allow medical schools the freedom to grant academic leave requested by students, as most medical students have been boycotting classes for months in protest against the increase in the medical school admission quota. Education Minister Lee Ju-ho announced the decision during a meeting with the presidents of 40 universities with medical schools, as the majority of medical students nationwide continued their class boycott over the government's increase in the medical school enrollment quota by about 1,500 seats starting next year. "(The ministry) allows universities to make independent decisions on whether to grant academic leave requested by students for personal reasons," the ministry quoted Lee as saying. The minister said the decision aims to create an opportunity to encourage students to return to school and normalized medical school classes. The ministry had previously maintained that academic leave should be approved only on the condition that the applicants return to school the following year. However, the doctors' community and university presidents have called on the government to allow them the freedom to grant unconditional school leave, as the boycotting students show no signs of an immediate return. Source: Yonhap News Agency